In Rainbows
by kid c
Summary: A series of fifty minimalistic shorts containing a multitude of different aspects of the relationship between Cal Lightman and Gillian Foster.
1. Motion

_I. Motion_

It is moments like these which he cherishes the most, when he is given the rare opportunity to hold her close to him. While this is purely out of comfort and not love, his heart still thrums against his ribcage, arms encircling her delicate frame as he anchors her there with him.

Absentmindedly, they're swaying back and forth on the spot, keeping time with a silent metronome. Her face is buried into his shoulder, where she will leave the damp stain of her tears. But he doesn't mind. He just moves with her, letting the world turn without them.

In this moment, everything feels so perfect. It's half-past three o'clock in the morning and they're rocking back and forth without any rhythm whatsoever, but he absolutely loves it.

And _God, _how he wants to kiss her troubles away, but he knows he can't.

And that has been the greatest pain of any he'd ever felt.


	2. Change

_II. Change_

She will never admit it, but she thinks of him softly from time to time.

A smile never fails to come to her cherry lips when she pulls from the collection of memories she's stored over the years. She pictures him and the stubble on his jaw and thinks it rather becoming on him and imagines, just for a moment, what things would be like if they were more than friends.

She loves him, but acknowledging that would break that damned line in half.

Once upon a time, his piercing, inquisitive eyes would soften whenever he made eye contact with her, but lately he'd been shooting her so many cold stares that she couldn't help but doubt their friendship – a friendship that had been built from the ground up and kept strong for several years.

She wonders if he even gives a damn about her anymore.


	3. Attention

_III. Attention_

He doesn't even have the slightest clue as to what's going on.

What he knows is that Gillian is currently interrogating their suspect in the cube. He's supposed to be watching for any cues in the man's face, but instead of that he's fixated on her. He watches as she rises from her chair, places her hands on the table separating her from the suspect, and looms over the surface as she nearly growls at him over his refusal to answer a question, and he's suddenly lost in a daydream.

"Lightman? You getting anything?"

"Hm?" The impatient snap of Loker's fingers is all it takes for him to break out of his reverie. "Oh – no, must've been daydreaming for a moment there; play the tape again, will ya?"


	4. Power

_IV. Power_

She's noticed the invisible crown that sits on top of his head.

She hates it.

Sometimes she lets him know, but only by means of playful bickering; a sober Gillian Foster wouldn't be able to stand up to him. In all honesty, it bothers her, because he must always remind everyone that he's the one in charge.

Even if it means pushing her until she breaks.

She almost hates him. She can't bring herself to truly hate him, but one day she'll let him know when it's time to get off of his high horse.

* * *

**A/N **Gah, it's been a month since I've updated. Life is crazy. My apologies, guys! But thanks to everyone for the reviews so far! :)


	5. God

_V. God_

As he finishes his fourth glass of wine, he wonders if his mother has managed to talk to God since she bought her one-way ticket to heaven, or if she's still waiting in line.

He's almost positive that God doesn't exist. Almost. The only reason he is still a bit unsure is because he would like to believe that someone will provide a nice place in the afterlife for her to stay. He'd like to think that she's met God, sitting at his long walnut desk with all his diplomas hanging on the wall behind him.

This particular subject crosses his mind from time to time, especially when in an inebriated state such as this following a failure like the one The Lightman Group experienced this past week. Inside of him, everything – every bone, muscle, tendon, blood vessel – aches with the guilt weighing upon him, and before he knows it, he's let a tear escape.

"Cal?"

Immediately, his head snaps up; she's standing in the middle of his office and he's got no clue how long she'd been in there, but the amount of concern written all over her face as she asks him if he's okay is enough to get him out of his chair quickly; he strides toward the door, muttering excuses about getting caught up in his work as he wipes his cheek with his sleeve…

But she sweeps him into a tight embrace before he can get much further. She whispers something his ear that he can't figure out, but it doesn't matter because he's already buried himself in her shoulder, trembling as he gives into the tremendous pain.


	6. Wash

_VI. Wash _

Her fear of the dark is only a problem when a nightmare jolts her awake and forces her to stumble around the pitch-black cave that is her bedroom in the middle of the night on her way to the bathroom. She walks with the dexterity of a two-year-old taking its first steps, breath hitching in her throat whenever she hears the slightest noise from somewhere else in the house.

A trembling hand flattens here and there against the wall in search for the light switch. When she locates it, she turns it on without a moment's hesitation, and peers at her reflection in the mirror: she's visibly shaking with the horror of the bad dream fresh in her head. She bends down over the sink and runs cold water as she splashes her face, panic still having a firm grip on her.

She hopes she will never see him the way she saw him in that dream – screaming at her at the top of his lungs for making the mildest of errors, so much that she'd let down her guard and begun crying.


End file.
